Robots in disguise! Transformers for Genesys

[Zieche 7]

Updated for the new year! Slowly chipping away at the the to-do list

If anyone tries it out, I'd love to hear how it goes. 

Transformers Genesys Mod

VERSION HISTORY
• 0.4 - removed vehicle numbers to better focus on the characters being their alt mode
• 0.6 - Updated and added Outlier abilites
• 1.0 - Release
• 1.1 - Weapons & Armor added
• 1.2 - moved Combiner to Tier 2; fixed Air form Brawn; raised sword crit from 2 to 3; IDW comics continue to be a source of awesome art and if
you haven't read More Than Meets the Eye & Lost Light please do.
• 1.3 - Various cleanups. Changed Forcefield Outlier ability to grant bonus soak.

Edited January 25 by Zieche

[glewis2317 214]

Very cool!

 

[gilbur 209]

Looks very cool, will wait until your finally version though.

[Noahjam325 125]

This looks awesome! I had was planning to try my hand at a Transformers game, but some of the ideas you put here are way better than what i first thought. 

 

I don't have time to run this right now, but I'm definitely going to keep my eyes on this. I plan to do something Transformers related eventually. 

[Zieche 7]

Updates above

[Kalanthros 9]

Looks cool! Mind if I ask what program you used for the layout?

[Zieche 7]

Sure! I made this using gmbinder.com 

There's a genesys template on there that's great for learning the system 

[Alphabonnie101/TheHeroking 10]

This is really cool! One question though. Do you heal Transformers with Medicine or Mechanics?

[Zieche 7]

Medicine, a Transformer doctor would call what he does medicine since it's healing his patient. 

You can also, still keep mechanics for spaceships and larger projects.

[Alphabonnie101/TheHeroking 10]

Thanks a lot!

[Roderz 119]

On 9/20/2018 at 8:13 AM, Zieche said:

Medicine, a Transformer doctor would call what he does medicine since it's healing his patient. 

You can also, still keep mechanics for spaceships and larger projects.

Related to this, I'd kind of see Ratchet as skilled in Medicine, while, say, Wheeljack is skilled in Mechanics, for example.

[Xcapobl 312]

Kind of like a division between repairing `living transformers (spark, or Vector Sigma created) and engineering/fixing simple equipment.

[Zieche 7]

Updated! 

I'm hoping to expand the Adversaries list when I get some time. If anyone wants to suggest ideas I'd be happy to work them in. Thanks all! 

[GM Hooly 1,557]

I like it but when Transformers transform its all they do in that “panel”. I would have suggested 2 Maneuvers to transform but you can take the talent to drop it to one.

[TheLonelySandPerson 17]

Oh, interesting.

On page 4, it says "If you go over your stain threshold and suffer a critical hit you are forced back into your bot form." Was that supposed to be an "or"?

I think you should separate the concepts of archetype and alt mode. You have several things that key off of archetype, like which talents you can take, but they're actually only interested in what your alt mode can do, and it would simplify the rules for Extra Form -- you don't have to mess with pretending you're another archetype, you just have an alt mode that qualifies for relevant talents.

The Combiner talent needs a lot more work. First, is it saying you have to pay X story points to combine, where X is the number of robots involved? That seems excessive, and almost always out of reach. Instead, I'd make this cost 2 Story Points, limit it to once per session, and it only lasts until the end of the scene. It also doesn't explain who takes control of the combiner, what happens when its wounds or strain exceed threshold or it takes a Crit, and so on. I'd also advise that it increases Silhouette by 1 if the combination involves 2-3 robots, and by 2 if it involves 4+. The combined robot should explicitly "take highest" for all its stats except Brawn and Intellect, too.

[TheLonelySandPerson 17]

On 1/25/2019 at 9:55 AM, GM Hooly said:

I like it but when Transformers transform its all they do in that “panel”. I would have suggested 2 Maneuvers to transform but you can take the talent to drop it to one.

I disagree. A panel's worth of action is fine for a maneuver, and we often see them transform on the run or in mid-jump in animated properties.

Edited January 27 by TheLonelySandPerson

[GM Hooly 1,557]

Yup, because they have the talent

You could even have:

Normal: 2 Maneuvers 

Quick Transform: 1 Maneuver

Quick Transform (Improved): Incidental

[TheLonelySandPerson 17]

I see no reason that transforming should take more time than reloading a weapon or dashing across a room. This is what maneuvers are made for. Anyway, if you make it 2 maneuvers, you entirely remove the player's ability to, for example, transform and roll out -- you've spent your 2 maneuvers transforming, and even if you spend strain, you can't use another. If you want to increase the cost, make it an action, but don't take up both maneuvers.

[GM Hooly 1,557]

Each to their own I guess.

[Roderz 119]

On 1/29/2019 at 3:17 PM, TheLonelySandPerson said:

...you entirely remove the player's ability to, for example, transform and roll out...

"Autobots! Transform and... wait a few seconds or so, then roll out!"

[Jareddw 33]

I've been playing with additions/subtractions from this game, and putting in some from Mechamorphosis (an older FFG mod).  In that game you use "D Shift+F7 D" rules, where the transformers special powers are spells.  I thought Genesys could do the same thing.  A specific spell = a special power.  Mirage can turn invisible, Hound can create illusions, etc.

The hard part is the combiners (and I'm using the rules presented here), but then there's also Soundwave and his cassette tape minions.  And that's when it hit me.  He "Conjures" them.  They are specific results of a "summoning spell."  Now, Soundwave is really good at it, but I think you can see how this can work...

[Noahjam325 125]

I haven't run this yet, but I've been keeping my eye on it because I love Transformers.

 

I'm currently working on a campaign idea for my FLGS that involves 2 groups of players; Autobots and Decepticons. The idea being the Decepticon players work on and execute a plot the Autobot players try to foil. Maybe with the occasional greater threat that they must work together to overcome.